ORS Research Administration Director job at Universities of Wisconsin in Madison, WI

Title:

ORS Research Administration Director

Requisition Number: JR

Remote Type:
Hybrid

Location:

Madison, Wisconsin

Category:
Sponsored Programs, Grants, and Contracts

The School of Education's Office of Research and Scholarship (ORS) is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking leader to serve as Director of Research Administration. This position provides strategic leadership for the School’s comprehensive research administration program, overseeing pre-award and research compliance functions that support a diverse portfolio of externally funded research, scholarship, and creative activity.

As a key partner to faculty, academic leaders, and campus stakeholders, the Director plays a critical role in advancing the School’s research mission by fostering a culture of service, compliance, innovation, and continuous improvement. The Director leads a team of research administration professionals, providing supervision, mentoring, and professional development while ensuring the delivery of high-quality support across the full sponsored projects lifecycle.

• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
• Develops, conducts, and administers training initiatives for faculty, staff, and other stakeholders in areas related to research administration
• Oversees pre-award and/or post-award research administration activities
• Directs and coordinates staff, systems, and procedures related to the processing of sponsor supported grants, contracts, and agreements on a daily basis
• Oversees division compliance related to sponsored grants and contracts
• Establishes, implements, and maintains policy and procedures for sponsored project administration
• Serves as a liaison to internal and external leadership and stakeholders. Advises principal investigators, leadership, and central grants administration, interacts with granting agencies regarding policy interpretation, and provides recommendations for successful outcomes
• Facilitates internal or external audits of grants and contracts

School of Education / Office of Research and Scholarship

Minimum: $150,000

Commensurate with qualifications and experience. This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, higher education administration, accounting, finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, sponsored programs, grants management, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing the full lifecycle of sponsored projects, including pre-award, post-award, and compliance functions.
• Experience supervising and developing professional staff and leading teams in a complex organizational environment.
• Knowledge of federal regulations governing sponsored research, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), and sponsor requirements from agencies such as NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, and other federal and non-federal sponsors.
• Experience developing and implementing policies, procedures, and operational improvements to support research administration functions.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective relationships and collaborate with faculty, administrators, and campus partners.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex issues, exercise sound judgment, and make independent decisions.
• Experience working with financial, grants management, and/or research administration systems

• Advanced degree in a related field.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or other research administration certification.
• Experience supporting sponsored research in an R1 higher education institution.
• Experienc…